Gaming handhelds are enjoying a resurgence of late. Originally kicked off by the rampant popularity of the Nintendo Switch, they’ve been boosted by the launch of innovative new PC handhelds like the Steam Deck and the ASUS Rog Ally. Now, Sony is joining the fray.
On 24 May, the company announced a new handheld gaming accessory called Project Q. Some traditional handheld consoles run games on-device, whereas others, like the Logitech G Cloud, are designed purely around cloud gaming. These cloud gaming devices work by streaming video and audio from a remote server online, rather than running the game’s code on the device itself.
Project Q fits into the latter category as the device is designed as a companion to the PS5 rather than a standalone games console, so you’ll need a PS5 to make use of it, but it’s an exciting development all the same.
And while Sony hasn’t said much about whether the device would support true cloud gaming, the handheld will be able to stream your existing library of PS5 games anywhere around the home using wifi.
Here’s everything we know about Project Q so far, as well as the other handheld consoles available to shop now.
What is Project Q?
Teased by PlayStation boss Jim Ryan at the company’s annual games showcase event, Project Q will let players stream their existing PS5 games to a tablet-style screen over wi-fi or Remote Play.
The Nintendo Switch-style portable controller will fit neatly into the growing PS5 family of accessories and devices, and resembles a really long DualSense pad with an eight-inch LCD screen plonked in the middle. It will also be capable of streaming PS5 games at resolutions of up to 1080p and up to 60fps.
Sony also announced a pair of wireless earbuds designed for PS5 and PC gaming. The company is well-known for producing some of the best wireless earbuds in 2023, such as the WF-1000XM4 (£199, Johnlewis.com) which took top spot in our round-up. Unlike the WF-1000XM4 however, this new pair of Bluetooth earbuds will primarily be developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the gaming branch of the electronics giant.
PlayStation Project Q release date and price
While there’s no word of a release date or pricing information just yet, Ryan suggested that Project Q would launch at some point later in 2023.
That said, there are rumours circulating about the price, with the most recent coming from an unlikely source – an FTC filing from Microsoft in its battle over the company’s Activision Blizzard takeover. The Xbox manufacturer suggests that Project Q will cost under $300 (£236). It’s unclear, however, if Microsoft is guessing at the price, or if it has some insider knowledge.
Microsoft's lawyers with some Project Q hype: pic.twitter.com/SFrgxNNs8g
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) June 22, 2023
Can’t hang around for Project Q? Here are some of our favourite gaming handhelds you can play right now, both of which can already be made to work with the PlayStation’s Remote Play function.
Logitech G Cloud: £329, Currys.co.uk
Unlike the Steam Deck – which is essentially a tiny PC – the Logitech G Cloud is an Android device that can stream next-gen console games over the internet. That means you can play graphically intense titles like Forza Horizon 5 on a lightweight and energy-efficient handheld, by connecting to services like Xbox Gamepass, Nvidia GeForce Now. You can also install Android apps to enable emulation of classic retro games.
Like Sony’s upcoming Project Q, the Logitech G Cloud can also stream PS5 and other console games you already own over your home wifi connection, so you can play your PC, Xbox or PlayStation games in the bath, on the sofa, or on the toilet. So long as you’ve got a decent wi-fi extender.
Steam Deck: From £349, Steampowered.com
The Steam Deck is a an incredible piece of hardware, cramming all of the power and performance of a mid-range gaming PC into a handheld you can throw in a backpack and allowing you to play your library of Steam games anywhere you please.
Limited battery life is a stumbling block for anyone who plans on taking it on a long-haul flight any time soon, but for most cases, the requirement to plug the handheld in every few hours is inconvenient rather than a deal-breaker.
Completely open to modding and with the full weight of the Steam library behind it, Valve’s pioneering handheld feels like the beginning of a new generation for PC gaming.
Nintendo Switch OLED: £309, Currys.co.uk
Unlike the Steam Deck and the Logitech G Cloud, which can be modified to play Android games and stream titles from Xbox, Steam and PlayStation, the Nintendo Switch OLED will only play Nintendo-approved games. And that’s fine, because Nintendo makes the best games in the world, including the recently released Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (£44.99, Currys.co.uk). In our Tears of the Kingdom review we said the game “rewards ingenuity and player experimentation” and is an instant classic on Nintendo Switch.
The OLED version of Nintendo’s record-breaking handheld is the best you can get, and features a bigger and brighter OLED screen, so games look at their absolute best whether playing docked to the TV or in handheld mode.
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